“Everybody in this country should learn how to program a computer… because it teaches you how to think.” -Steve Jobs
It was not until after I graduated from University that I knew and understood the importance of programming. I took many things for granted such as the technology around me and thought “oh, Google? Facebook? Mobile phones? Cool!”. But I never took the time to understand how these platforms and technologies work and how much they have impacted the world to create a better place for everyone. I read many articles to try to understand the world around me and also to be caught up with everything that has been happening – from programming with simple data structures, to the advancements in healthcare and education. After learning about all these new technologies and how it has transformed the world, I became really interested in the “How”.
We live in a world where almost everyone is using some form of technology – mobile phones, computers or robotic machines to help do their jobs, to connect with others, or to improve their daily lives with some very useful apps. How is all of this possible? Through the power of programming. Computers have made our lives more convenient, more productive and more connected. And it will only get better with the advancements in Artificial Intelligence and how it will be able to use its learning algorithms to enable computers to learn, think and act in a more intelligent way – from discovering and developing a better treatment for a targeted illness or even finding a cure for cancer, to delivering personalized medicine to patients.
By understanding the power of programming, I finally realized what I really wanted to learn and what my purpose in life would be – To develop and create something, no matter how small, that can improve or even change the world in a better and positive way. And I believe the only way this can be achieved, is through programming. We never had this technology a century ago and therefore the idea of learning how to program has not become mainstream such as learning about math and sciences. However, the world is constantly changing and we should adapt and grow with it. The skill of programming really is, in my opinion, the equivalence of learning how to read and write.
Computers have already changed the world we live in today. Healthcare, entertainment, finance, and education have all been drastically changed over the last 20 years into something that is more convenient and productive. Many more industries will benefit from using a computer in the next decade and it is up to us programmers to make that change. I can see the potential in technology, particularly while we head towards the Age of Intelligence and hope that one day, I will be qualified to work with meaningful companies that share the same values as I do to solve the many problems society faces every day.
Road to Software Engineer 